Forgotten Memories
by animefreak5483
Summary: Heero looses his memory after an accident. Can Relena mend his injuries as well as his tortured soul as the bloody memories and a new enemy return to haunt the Perfect Solider…
1. Beginnings

A/n: Hello again 1xR fans! I have another GW fic for the pile. I ended up running with an idea that had been bothering me for a while. It simply would not let me forget about it. I have even put a few other fics on hold just to work on this one. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the fic!  
  
Please insert generic disclaimer here: Me no own, you no sue…. Blah blah blah… legal mumbo jumbo… falling asleep… blah!  
  
Does that cover my rabid bishie fan girl butt enough?   
  
-  
  
Forgotten Memories  
  
-  
  
After many struggles, everything in the world and space colonies finally seemed right. Well, almost everything save one young vice foreign minister.  
  
Today was one of her rare days off. Sitting among a peaceful park, Relena, the former Queen of the World, relaxed against a large oak tree. A smile adorned her beautiful face as she watched her only living relatives share a quiet family moment. Setting out a delicious looking picnic the husband and wife shared a smile with their family. Millardo sat beside his wife of a little over two years. His long blonde locks had been shortened a bit and he was actually smiling a great deal more than ever before. Noin was exactly what he needed, Relena mused as she continued to watch the couple. Noin and their little daughter, Promise had changed her brother's life.  
  
The little girl was now nearly three. Noin had found out she was pregnant shortly after the two had disappeared to Mars after the Christmas Eve incident of three years ago.  
  
When they returned to Earth Noin had already given birth to the little blonde haired angel and the proud parents had married on Mars.  
  
After the project had started, Millardo had decided to move his growing family back to his home country back on Earth, the Sanc Kingdom. Presently he and Noin had reentered the Preventers and took on less risky work in order to raise their daughter.   
  
Relena smiled at the way life took surprise turns, and yet she had never seen her brother so happy then he was now. A husband, a father and a brother- the new Millardo Peacecraft was something wonderful.  
  
"So Relena, enjoying your day off?" Noin asked as she handed her sister in law a plate of food from the basket at her side.   
  
"It's nice to be out on such a nice day." The young politician replied with a longing sigh. In truth she hardly took days off for a reason…  
  
And that reason was to keep her mind and heart from thinking of a pair of Prussian blue eyes and dark messy hair. Heero Yuy, put it simply was so deeply in her heart, she couldn't get him out of her mind.  
  
Ever since that day when she found him on the beach, she had followed him blindly across the Earth and even into Space.  
  
But that had come to an end after he had saved her from the Marimeaia rebels during the Christmas incident of years back. After his injuries had healed he broke out of the hospital quietly and as mysterious as he had entered her life.   
  
His last actions still echoed in her mind… the perfect solider had shocked her with actually pulling her to him and kissing her with so much passion it was almost a brutal kiss. However to Relena it was something she never wanted to forget. The moment he touched her lips with his, she could feel the gentleness and even the inner struggle within his soul. To the world Heero Yuy was a harsh being, one who could only kill and fight, but Relena had felt how much he longed to belong in a peaceful world. His was a passion for life that she missed.  
  
She didn't know that the very next day she came to the hospital he would be gone. If she did, Relena would have never left for the night.  
  
It felt like ages ago when they had last seen each other. The fact that they had never really gotten to know one another or even so much have a normal conversation due to the war and their own personal circumstances never fazed Relena or her feelings for him. The bond they shared was not your usual bond, she even accepted the fact they many never have anything that one could call a real relationship.  
  
Yet she knew he cared… and she somehow understood him… and that was the thing that frightened him the most next to the strange feelings. He had never been a regular person, never been allowed to feel real emotions- if it hadn't been for the brief meeting with Doctor J and getting a glimpse into Heero's past, she probably would have given up on the handsomely serious boy. But she didn't, nor could she ever give up on him. Her heart only cried out to his more and more as they continued to run into each other during the wars…  
  
"Relena, are you alright?" Noin asked touching the younger woman's hand lightly.  
  
"What? Oh, yes. I was just thinking…"  
  
"Thinking of what, if you don't mind me asking?"   
  
"The old times… during the war. We're so fortunate to be able to enjoy all this…" She motioned to the peaceful park and the glorious day out. "It's because of them that we're free." She sighed thinking of one person's sacrifice in particular.  
  
She just couldn't get herself to forget him… it didn't help any when she felt his presence near by from time to time. He came in with shadows to offer silent support. Never had he actually spoken to her, and she often times wondered if he was really there or if it was a delusion of her mind when she needed him the most.  
  
Relena always had a sixth sense when it came to Heero… and he had definitely returned periodically. However for the last five months there had been nothing. Every once and a while Duo or Quatre would bring him up in conversations, but not recently… and that worried Relena.  
  
A frantic voice sounding suddenly interrupted her internal thoughts and the peaceful picnic itself over Millardo's two-way communicator.  
  
"Excuse me." He said in his normal deep voice as he stood up and answered the incoming call.  
  
"I guess we'll never be fully free to just sit back and enjoy the peace." Noin smiled sadly as she hugged her daughter tight. Glancing over at her husband she saw the call was not good news. He was becoming angry and he paced over the grassy field a little ways from their stop.  
  
Relena wasn't paying much attention to Noin's conversation with Promise, instead she strained her ears to try and pick up more of the situation being discussed over the communication link.  
  
"It was a what?" Millardo attempted to keep his cool. The response was in auditable to Relena from her distance away.  
  
"Alright… and the situation of infiltrator?" He asked slightly looking over towards Relena.  
  
"Acknowledged… get his sorry ass out of there- we need that information… and start an inquiry for possible leaks in the organization. I want to know how our cover was blown." The blonde sighed flicking his hair out of his eyes as he looked up to the sky.  
  
Swearing lightly Millardo returned to his family who were still patiently waiting next to the tree.  
  
"I take it you have to go back already?" Noin spoke up looking at her husband's tried face.  
  
"I do, but you three can stay and enjoy the day. I'll send a car to pick you up later if you want." He suggested.  
  
"No, we'll come back with you. If there's a crisis, I should bee there too." Noin smiled weakly as she began packing.  
  
"I would also like to know what's going on, so I'll be joining you." Relena also decided as she picked up Promise and handed her to her father. Millardo looked at Relena and reluctantly nodded.  
  
'She's not going to take a 'no' about this… especially after she finds out who exactly is involved.' He sighed inwardly.  
  
-  
  
Preventer headquarters looked on the outside to be functioning normally. However there was near chaos just waiting to erupt on the inside as Millardo entered with Noin and Relena close at hand.  
  
Promise had been dropped off at the home that Relena, and Millardo's family shared. Their instructions were for Pagan to set the child down for a nap while the three adults continued on towards HQ.  
  
Once they arrived inside the command center, Millardo took control of the situation.  
  
"Report!" He called out and was answered with a swift 'Yes Sir,' as three preventer officers began to take their turns and brief their superior.  
  
"Our last contact with … our operative," the man started out a bit hesitant to release the pilot's name in front of his commander's sister. It was common knowledge that she was quite attached to all the former gundam pilots, and especially to the man in question. "He last contacted us and his transmission was delayed. It's approximately an hour late."  
  
"Key it up on the screen." Millardo commanded as he took papers from another officer and began to glance over them.   
  
"Are you sure sir?" The officer asked looking over towards Relena. The blonde man understood the officer's question, yet Relena deserved to know what was going on just as much as anyone. With a nod of his head, the officer began to play the video feed.  
  
A lone shadow came into focus. Relena recognized the tired Prussian blue eyes the moment they appeared on the screen. Soon the rest of Heero Yuy could be seen. A trickle of blood ran down his face from his unruly brown hair. His defined jawbones and cheek looked dirty and several bruises were developing.  
  
Relena's breath stopped in her throat as the transmission began…  
  
"This is Preventer Watchman, due to a leak in HQ, my cover had been blown. I was able to accomplish the majority of my mission's objective. The Vice Foreign Minister is not the target of this terrorist organization. I repeat, they are not after Relena." as he paused a loud banging from the door behind him sounded in the background.  
  
"The leak is still not known at this time, however I have company to take care of." He motioned his head towards the growing noises of people beginning to break down the door. "I will finish my objectives before meeting up at the rendezvous point. I am sending a frequency at the end of this message as an attachment. I don't have the time to send Doctor J a separate message, so forward this one to him. His hypothesis was correct and it is finally them…" Heero stopped talking and looked at the door, quickly reloading his weapon he stood up from the control seat he was resting in.  
  
"And Zechs…" Heero started up again after staring right into the screen. "If the mission is a failure… remember your promise. I'll come back and haunt both your and Duo's lousy asses if you don't."  
  
-  
  
The transmission was severed with a loud explosion, as the doors to the room were Heero had been blown open. 


	2. Revenge

A/N: Well I thought that I should type this chapter before too long I enjoyed hearing that everyone liked the fic so far! Thanks for the reviews. It's been a LONG week and I needed a break, so here's the next chapter. It's also kind of cliffhanger-ish. But don't worry, I should have weekly updates on this fic- that is if Japanese class doesn't kill me first- summer classes suck! But I hope it will be worth it. Writing is my escape from my lack of a social life during intensive classes…  
  
Ok, I'll stop the ramblings ; On to the show!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The transmission he had recorded and sent out on a timed message file terminated as the door behind him gave way in a massive explosion. Heero quickly reacted and dodged the spray of flying bullets and lasers as the opposing forces stormed the room. Returning fire and with his skillful moves he was almost able to push his way past the dozen or so fully armed, yet slow minded guards. That was until the second wave of guns came. Unable to take off down the hall Heero took cover back inside the room he had been cornered in. He could hear the dozens on dozens of military formations entering the area.   
  
"Give up Yuy! You're surrounded. The Preventer's infiltration ploy was almost successful. I commend you for that." A harsh voice sounded out above the footsteps. "I should have expected nothing less then for you to live up to your reputation of being the perfect soldier. However, today it all ends. We will get our full revenge on the Perfect Soldier program and on you." The voice was certainly not a friendly tone. Heero could hear the anger behind the deep baritone voice.  
  
Jumping quickly behind the only thing that could give any form of protection, the computer he had used but moments before, Heero readied himself from what would come. He knew that there wasn't that much time to act… the longer he waited, the odds stacked even higher against him.  
  
Deciding to continue, he remembered exactly what he had come on this mission for… Relena. The chance that he would be able to see her again, even for a moment, was worth all the risks involved. He knew she was safe. Her precious life was not the target of the group's hostile intentions… Leaping out from behind his only shield, Heero Yuy once again trudged through the barrage of fire, adding his own to the mix.  
  
-  
  
"You sent him in where? And ALONE?" Relena nearly shrieked at her brother as he explained the current situation. However her lung capacity was not a match for the blonde haired man standing before her in the office of Preventer HQ. The older Peacecraft had come to deal with voices even louder and more painful than his younger sister's voice… namely his daughter Promise.  
  
"Preventer Watchman… Heero Yuy, knew the dangers of this mission and the importance before he agreed to return to the missions." Millardo spoke coolly trying not to grow angry with his little sister. His anger would only add to her infamous temper and fuel it further.   
  
"We received a bit of information from a series of sources about a new threat. Thinking that their objectives would be similar to those of the past- ending peace, political take over, killing you- Vice Foreign Minister…" Her brother used her title specifically as a wake up to their reasons for acting like they had. The immensity of the situation called for them sending someone to gather information. "Why send a rookie when we had the best in the business for getting the impossible done… Heero Yuy is the best we have ever had… and I personally know he will not fail." Millardo hated to admit the truth. Heero Yuy was the best. Better than himself in many matters, especially those concerning his little sister. The older big brother mode seemed to kick in as he hugged Relena's silent and nearly frozen frame.  
  
"And he's coming home soon." Noin added as she entered and saw the siblings. Placing a reassuring hand on her husband's shoulder Noin added her complete faith in Heero to return to them.  
  
"Has Duo made it to the rendezvous point yet?" The blonde asked his wife, still holding his sister close.  
  
"There's no communication yet- but he should have made contact with Heero already… after all the message was received about an hour after he sent it. Besides, they were to keep radio silence till they approached Earth." She told him with worried eyes.  
  
"Open a channel to the L1 colony research lab. We have to find out what Dr. J knows." Millardo said releasing Relena and giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "If anyone could have survived a blundered mission… it's him. Have faith Relena."  
  
Relena nodded mutely at the statement. She had to have faith in the ones she loved. The young politician in her knew this quite well. However, the emotions she saw in his eyes scared her… Heero actually looked worried, not only worried but tired. Of course no one else could see the things she did when she looked at Heero. When it came to Heero Yuy, Relena was the only one who could see past the perfect solider mask he held.  
  
'Come back to me Heero.' She whispered to herself before she followed her brother.  
  
A communication line, using the secret codes Heero had sent, was opened in no time. At first the video feed from the other end contained nothing but static. The background sounds of a laboratory setting could be heard as a voice also yelled out.  
  
"Get the doc! It's the signal!" The random voices remained masked by the static. Finally as the familiar voice of the aging doctor sounded in the distance, the picture became clear and showed Dr. J standing before them.   
  
"Ah, Commander Peacecraft, Mrs. Peacecraft, what a pleasant surprise." The man started out seeing the figures on his screen. "And Ms. Relena, to what do I owe the honor of seeing your lovely face again?"  
  
"Doctor J," Millardo began, "We were asked to relay a message to you."  
  
"From my boy no doubt?" The doctor chuckled a bit knowing how difficult dealing with Heero the blonde Preventer had in the past. "So what trouble has Heero been causing now?" The old man continued to smile believing in Heero's training to get him out of the deepest of troubles.  
  
"Preventer Watchman was sent to investigate a new possible threat to the stability of peace. It seems that his cover was blown as he only started to get into the thick of the situation." Millardo stopped Noin from continuing.  
  
"Heero wasn't able to explain their objectives except that our expected targets of Relena and the Preventer organization was incorrect. He told us to relay the message that your hypothesis was right and that you know who was behind it. All Yuy said was -'it's them'-"  
  
"I see." The doctor thought silently for a time as he stroked his beard with his non-mechanical hand.  
  
"Do you know who is behind this? Any information would be of great help. We need to figure out how to combat our enemy." Noin asked.  
  
"It's not for you to fight." Dr. J simply stated. "This is our fight… it's been long coming, but it is a justified one."  
  
"What do you mean? Your fight?" Millardo asked for clarification.   
  
"Their target is not the lives of those in your care. The targets are the remnants of the Perfect Solider organization… the only reason the followers of the Red Doves would have to attack you is to get to Heero."  
  
"Heero? But why? What has Heero done?" Relena stepped forward and out of her silent shell. Her heart ached more noticeably knowing that the threat was no longer her life. Now it was someone else… someone more special to her than anything else.  
  
"Why is the easy question… simply put it is our turn to make amends with the bloody past we've all been a great part of… The Red Doves are people affected by our organization. Survivors of battles, family members with great financial backgrounds, those seeking revenge or disagreed with our methods and tactics. All these people and more have been gaining in military and political power little by little. I've seen this coming for some time… we never knew that they were this ready to strike… no matter. We await their judgment of sorts. We deserve nothing less." Dr. J sighed. His will to survive was weakening and he was weary of struggling for a compromise with peace. His kind was no longer needed, and those they had touched over the years were finally about to bring their end.  
  
"So you're just giving up? If you do, you also sentence others to death as well… what about Heero? Doesn't he deserve a new life; a chance to make amends in a better way? He's changed… I can change him…" Relena broke down and let the tears fall. "I want to help him…" Both Millardo and Dr. J were silent as Noin attempted to comfort Relena.   
  
"There's hope for him then… but others are too old to repent and relive errors made for such a long time. I entrust him into your care then Ms. Relena… but be careful. The Red Doves will come."  
  
The connections were terminated soon after. The room was silent as they mulled over all the information. The moment was interrupted as a frantic officer ran towards the group.   
  
"There's an emergency transmission coming in from Preventer Maxwell's shuttle, sir." The officer said quickly and handed Millardo a printout with specifics.  
  
"Thank you. Please put it though." Millardo stopped and loved over at Relena. He wasn't sure if he wanted her to hear the news… which he felt were going to be bad. Noin understood his look of worry. Taking Relena's hand, she guided her out of the room to collect herself. "Play it now." He simply commanded as the door closed and he was left alone. 


	3. Problems

A/N:  
  
Thanks for the reviews folks. By all means, please continue to drop me a note. They make my days happier!  
  
I have survived week two of the intensive summer sessions and you know what that means… exactly what does it mean? That I'm even more masochistic for sticking with the class? Probably… however for you it means I have another chapter up So enjoy the sweet, sweet… sweetness of the chapter… brain shutting down, no more adjec… word thingies ;  
  
Ok, that's it- I need sleep, that or alcohol…however seeing as I will get neither… enjoy!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"Play it now." Millardo simply commanded as the door closed and he was left alone in the room.  
  
"Hey all." Came Duo's voice over the communication file.  
  
"State your status. Have you picked up Yuy?"  
  
"Ah Zechs, I didn't know you cared about us that much." The pilot tried to smile, seeing that his superior officer was seemingly in a bad mood, like he was ever in a good mood. "Roger that Blondie- oh and have a medic team ready on stand by… our boy's really beat up. I did what I could after we ditched those fighters."  
  
"Understood, what's your ETA?"  
  
"About a good half hour out yet… I've got the shuttle at full speed considering we've been dinged up pretty good." Duo said scratching this head. He hated to admit that someone actually gave him a hard time maneuvering out there. The battle that had occurred left him with little chance to do anything other than defend and flee. Both went against most of his rules for flying, however when he had a look at Heero's wrecked escape pod, he knew that the sooner he got his friend to a doctor, the better.  
  
"What's Yuy's status?" The man had to ask. Not only for himself, but also for his little sister. If anything happened to that boy, Relena would probably die. As much as he hated it, Heero was a part of her life.  
  
"Um, I'm not exactly sure." Duo stated as he continued to pilot the shuttle and talk at the same time. "He's not in good shape- if his small pod wasn't totaled from the attacks, it surely took on more damage when it crashed into the cargo bay of my ship." Duo said the smile now erased completely from his lips. "I couldn't really get down there to pull him out until I finished with the fighters. These guys really must Heero dead, they were serious."  
  
"That would be expected then, because he is the target this time." Millardo told the man with the long braid.  
  
"What?"  
  
"We just confirmed it with Dr. J. These people, the so called Red Dove Organization, are not after Relena or us, they want the destruction of anything that had a part in the perfect solider project that produced Yuy… they'll attack us only if they see us in the way of their target."  
  
"So what do we do?"  
  
"Nothing at the moment."  
  
"But what about Heero?" Duo asked trying to read what the older man was thinking. However the only one who could read Millardo were his wife, Relena, and a solider who matched him in nearly everyway. None where presently there.  
  
"We'll treat hiss wounds and discuss it with him upon his arrival…" Was the only answer Duo got from the usually silent and brooding man on his screen.  
  
"We can't just let him go- there are people who seriously want him dead." Duo objected to his commanding officer's remark. "Besides, you know as well as anyone, that Relena wouldn't like doing that… she'd never forgive you for sending Heero to his death."  
  
"All he's ever done is break her heart! He's nothing but a youthful crush to her. She maybe mad at first, but she'll get use to the idea of no Heero Yuy being there to threaten her life…" Millardo knew how false some of his words were. Granted Heero had brought her youth heart great pain, however Heero's influence in her happiness was just something one could not deny.  
  
"I disagree."  
  
"Dually noted, that is all." Came over the COM and the screen went blank. The brown haired man was left feeling quite angry with the seemingly lack of caring about the situation.  
  
"Man- that guy's still such a pain in my ass…" Deathsythe's pilot mumbled as he continued on the shuttle's course. Thinking things over, both men could be described as being a pain to him; Heero from day one was always causing problems. Same with Millardo, or rather Zechs was the one from day one to also add to the frustrating and trying times.   
  
Rechecking his flight coordinates, Duo increased the engine output a little thinking about the unconscious body in the other compartment. "Don't worry there Heero- I won't let you go down this easy. Besides, Hilde would kill me if I didn't get you and Relena together."  
  
Getting up from his chair after finding the shuttle was safe enough to fly for a time on autopilot; he quickly made his way out of the cockpit. The gravity level of the shuttle allowed him to glide down the hall to the place where he had strapped the silent and still body of his closest friend. Gently as possible, for the man who never liked being delicate about anything, Duo unwrapped the still bleeding man in order to better assess his wounds.  
  
"You always have to cause trouble… you can never just be a normal… oh never mind." The youth sighed as he began to treat, with better care, his friend's wounds. He figured even if Heero could hear him, he was highly unlikely to actually listen to him. He had never once taken Duo's advice about trying to be more 'normal.'   
  
After using every emergency packet he could find, and not to mention the shirt he wore on under his flight suit, he finally was able to stop Heero's blood from draining. Somehow the crudely fashioned dressings would have to do for the time being.  
  
"Well, you've seen better days, but knowing you- you'll pull through. You always do. Lucky sob." Once he had finished doing everything in his power Duo strapped his friend in so they could make their landing at headquarters and returned to the cockpit.  
  
Damn it. Can't we go any faster… just hang on Heero." Duo said with worry in his voice, glancing back at his friend down the hall, Duo looked at the earth. "Please…"  
  
-  
  
Noin sat back and sipped her tea as she watched her worried sister-in-law. The lavish waiting room and it's plush cream carpet were about to gain a worn line in it unless some one could convince the world's youngest world diplomat to stop pacing.   
  
Heero would survive. Relena herself should have known he would be all right, however the image of him looking into the monitor almost straight at her caused her logical side to be silenced.  
  
"Relena, you know we can't do that." Noin said setting down her cup.  
  
"And why not? Heero's risked his life too many times for us… for me. We have to." She pleaded passionately to the woman who had stood up only moments ago and was now walking towards her.  
  
Setting a comforting hand on Relena's shoulder, Noin stopped the pacing girl. For a moment neither said anything. And yet the silence conveyed their feelings fully to each other. Relena's deep blue eyes bore into the older woman's orbs. Suddenly as if a final wave of emotion hit, Relena finally cracked. Her emotions could not be held back like she had done in the past.  
  
"I love him so much…" The young beauty sobbed as she threw herself into Noin's motherly embrace. Relena knew exactly what her brother saw in Noin, the woman was strong and compassionate.  
  
"I need him Noin… I can't live without him anymore."  
  
"Hush Relena, I know what you're going through. When Millardo was gone, my heart ached… but everything will turn out just fine." The dark haired woman tried to explain.  
  
"At least you knew my brother… you actually spent time together throughout everything. I don't know anything about Heero, or how he feels. All I know is I want him back here with me."  
  
"Relena you have no fears about his feelings for you. He feels just as strongly for you."  
  
"How do you know?" Relena sniffled as she listened to Noin's soothing voice. A hand stroked her hair and seemed to calm the younger woman a bit.  
  
"Relena you just need to watch him… His entire body language changes when you are so much as mentioned. And the thing that seals the deal was his volunteering on this mission. Heero once told me he'd fight as long as someone tries to dominate others. That was before you won him over."  
  
"I… I don't understand. Won him over?"  
  
"Relena, he loves you. He didn't want to at first, however I've know my share of men who keep to themselves… all the bottled up emotions inside come lose sometime." Relena had to give a halfhearted smile knowing all too well that her brother Millardo was exactly who Noin was talking about.  
  
In that sense the two most important men in her life seemed similar. That thought amused her more than she wanted it too. Causing her to give off a small smile, Relena let her sobs turn into an almost giggle. Her heart already seemed a bit lighter.  
  
"I've also known them to get out of the most serious of troubles just fine." Noin added in after a pause.  
  
"I know, I'm being stupid. I can't help it." Relena said a little embarrassed for her outburst.  
  
"I know… I know. You're not stupid, you're in love." 


	4. Complicated

A/N: Hello again! I'm back with the next chapter of the fic! Sorry for the slight delay- I've been busy. So without further ado- Chapter 4 begins and so do the problems for our couple. If you want to find out what happens, well you'll have to keeping reading, oh and review. ;  
  
Thanks for the reviews! And enjoy!!  
  
**Chapter 4  
**  
"I know... I know. You're not stupid, you're in love."  
  
-  
Standing as silent and stoic as ever, Millardo Peacecraft watched as the shot up shuttle docked into the Preventer's hanger. From the control center above the hanger floor he stood watching the mass of frantic doctors pushing their way through the pit crews as they opened up the damaged shuttle hatch. The long braid of Duo Maxwell came out first slowly bringing along the limp body of another.  
  
Once the ex gundam pilot had handed over his comrade to the doctors, Millardo's eyes followed the bloody body on the stretcher until Heero Yuy was out of the hanger. The older man could not help but know his sister was not going to let the younger man go out of her life again without a fight. He just did not know if he had enough strength to fight it. His wife Noin had also taken Relena's side when it came to Heero Yuy. She had continuously lectured him about how much Relena needed the pilot in her life.  
  
However, with the current situation things were definitely going to become more difficult. If the blonde could have had his way, he would have killed the younger man already. All the threats of killing his sister, the disregarding of orders and the attitude could only be taken so far. As much as he hated the younger pilot, Millardo was not blind to the usefulness of the skill the perfect solider.  
  
Then there was this new threat. If even the perfect solider had become this badly injured, what did that mean for the rest of the people now involved? Was the one unconscious man in the medical ward worth the lives of those around him?  
  
Sighing Millardo decided to get another perspective of the situation. Leaving he control room, he entered the hanger and walked up to the pilot of the damaged shuttle.  
  
"Those bastards hit us pretty hard." Duo mentioned sensing his commanding officer approach. Where the pit crew stopped and saluted the blonde, Duo merely shrugged him off. Pulling a disc from his pocket from a pocket, Duo handed it to the older man. "That's got all the data from our little fight. These guys are good. I will give you that. However, it'll take more than them to kill Heero, and us."  
  
The younger man's confidence did not ease Millardo's feelings. Neither did they surprise him at all. Maxwell's optimism, even in dire situations was something that Millardo had often thought was caused by his lack of a mind at times. However, the truth of the matter was that once commander of the Tallgese, knew that it would indeed take more than what had happened to fully kill the perfect solider.  
  
-  
Relena found herself sitting alone in the hospital wing of the Preventer's compound. When word had finally come that Duo's shuttle arrived, she ran straight to see for herself. She had never even thought for a moment that she would see the shuttle in such a condition.  
  
If it had not been for Noin coming up behind her, she would have hit the ground from shock. The once top of the line spacecraft was now reduced to a piece of scrap metal. The entire frame was dented and riddled with marks from it's battle. It was a miracle that they had made it back through reentry in such a shape. However, what was worse was the escape pod that had been pulled out from within the shuttle's hull.  
  
Whereas the shuttle still had some resemblance of a ship, the pod looked totaled. If it were not for blood painting the debris, no one would have been able to guess that it once held a person.  
  
"Heero..." She whispered as he eyes glazed over and she fell into Noin's hands. The older woman gently placed Relena on the cold floor of the hanger. After checking to see if the Vice Foreign Minister was breathing, Noin looked up and saw her husband approaching them. His face held the slightest bit of worry. That is what worried Noin. None of the men in her life ever showed emotions well, however now it was obvious to everyone that Millardo, their stone faced commander, was openly worried about the situation.  
  
"She just fainted. It must have been seeing all the blood on the pod." Noin tried to smile to assure her overprotective husband. Kneeling down next to his sister and wife, Millardo was once again reminded that the situation they were in was a complicated one. The voice of his wife broke him from his internal thoughts a moment later.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I asked how he was." Noin said again looking to her husband. "Heero... is he?"  
  
"They took him to the medical emergency room. He was breathing." It was all that Millardo could say. He had not been there to hear the doctors, so he did not know much when it came to the pilot's condition. However, he knew from experience it could not be good.  
  
"Should we take her home?" Noin asked as she let Millardo lift Relena off the floor. Looking down at the unconscious girl in his arms, Millardo knew that Relena would not stay home, not with Heero Yuy anywhere near them.  
  
"No, I'm going to take her to the medical sector. She'll want to be with him if... when he gets out of surgery." With that, the silent man turned and exited the hanger.  
  
"Don't worry, Heero will pull through. To even hear old Millie there say it evens tells you he's not given up on him." Duo said forcing a smile to shine through as he approached the dark haired woman. Standing quietly at her side for a moment, Duo could feel her worries. Placing a hand on her shoulder, Duo sighed.  
  
"At least," Duo started out. "At least we got him back. I'm sure she'll help him recover from almost anything." Duo said before motioning Noin to follow him in exiting the hanger and going to check on the others.  
  
-  
Relena groaned as she started to come to. Rolling on her side and nearly falling on the floor, Relena noticed she was lying on a narrow couch. Sitting up quickly, she took in her surroundings. The whiteness of all the walls, floors, and staff uniforms told her she was in the medical wing of the Preventer's compound.  
  
If it were not for the headache she had at the moment, Relena would have remembered how she made it to her current location. All she knew was that she currently was sitting staring at the red light above one of the operating rooms.  
  
A comforting hand gently came to rest on her shoulder, causing the girl again to jump a bit. Turing to look at her brother beside her, he gave her a small smile. Next to him sat a sleeping Duo.  
  
"Duo... that means..." Relena's eyes turned quickly to the doors that would lead into the operating room. "Heero." She let his name escape her lips in a worried tone.  
  
"Hush." Millardo said pulling her closer into a brotherly hug trying to stop the tears from streaming out of her eyes.  
  
"How... how long? How long was I out? When is he coming out of there? What happened?" Relena asked as she tried to better understand the situation.  
  
"They've been operating for some time now." Millardo said in a tone that surprised Relena. It sounded like even her brother was worried. "We'll figure out what to do once Yuy is conscious. All we can do now is wait." He sighed as he too stared at the red light over the doorframe.  
  
"Millardo... I ..." Relena didn't know how to tell her only brother what she and Noin had talked about. However, she knew it was important to tell him exactly that she was not about to let Heero go this time. On the other hand, if he was leaving, she was going with him.  
  
"I know. Noin told me about it." Millardo sighed. "You passed out and we came here. Noin left to check on Promise. But before she left she told me everything..." The older man stopped looking back to his little sister. "I'm not happy about it, not in the least... but I understand."  
  
Relena felt her spirits rise at the thought of her brother allowing her to pursue whatever Heero and she could work out. Throwing her arms around her brother's neck, Relena let a few more tears escape from her tired and worried eyes. The siblings had nearly forgotten where they were until the light above the operating room turned off. Several doctors exited silently as a new group entered to take over. Both Relena and Millardo stood up and tried to get any information they could. Duo awoke by all the commotion and joined in attacking doctors with questions about their friend.  
  
"What is his situation?" Millardo asked in a tone that said it was more of an order to answer than a request of a doctor holding a clipboard of charts and papers.  
  
"He's been stabilized. He lost so much blood we had to replace that. Our reserves of his blood type took a bit depleted now. We're currently working on getting more for later." The doctor with thin glasses said. Looking at the three visitors, he motioned them to sit back down. "I don't know where to begin. I haven't seen a patient with so many complications in my life, however he looks like he should pull through."  
  
Relena let out a breath that she had not noticed she was holding. Duo gave her hand a friendly squeeze. He knew Heero could pull it off. There smiles where not long lived. As the doctor continued to discuss the complications, the situation once again became bleak.  
  
"We're trying to monitor the swelling in the brain. We are not sure if he will have damage that remains permanent. We'll have to wait until he regains consciousness, well if he does..."  
  
"No," Relena stopped the doctor from continuing. She knew that it was a question of when and not if for Heero to come back to them. "He will, I know that Heero will wake up. You'll see." She said struggling to keep a positive tone in her voice after hearing of all the broken bones they had set, not to mention the stitches. Heero Yuy was one stubborn man to have survived all the things he had. Relena knew he could over come anything, even the odds doctors placed on his recovery.  
  
"Is he out of surgery then?" Millardo asked stopping his sister from getting herself worked up. "When can we see him?"  
  
"They are cleaning him up now." The doctor mentioned looking back at a chart. "We'll move him out of the OR and into a critical care ward. He'll need 24 hour care."  
  
"I want guards around the hospital wing at all times then." Millardo said as he stood up. "Duo, will you stay with Relena? I'm going to begin the process of security around here."  
  
"No problem Blondie." Duo flashed the older man a trademark Maxwell smile before Millardo turned and left.  
  
"Mr. Maxwell, Ms. Peacecraft, we're moving him now." The doctor told the two after a nurse came out to tell him. "I'll show you to the room, and we'll meet up with them there." 


	5. Awake

A/N: Hello again. Thanks for all the reviews so far. I'm happy to hear from you. I can't wait to get into the 'heart' of the story. This chapter sets up the whole struggle before the bad guys have to interfere. Oh this fic is so much fun to write. It's late right now- so I'm going to leave things at that and get to the fic!  
  
ENJOY!   
  
-  
  
They had been in there for what seemed like years. Duo was lightly snoring over in the corner as Relena sat clinging to Heero's hand. The injured man had not done anything since the doctors had hooked him up to all the monitors and tubes.  
  
Relena had been told that Heero would be unconscious for some time. However she could not help but ignore the feeling that Heero could and would surprise them. In fact the last time she had been with him was a situation similar to the present one they were in Heero showed everyone just how much he could walk away from a serious injury. Getting up in the middle of the night, Heero had gotten out of the hospital bed and left during the night. Unlike before, she wanted to be there when he finally awoke. To see his Prussian blue orbs up close after so much time would be a dream come true.  
  
Looking down at the prone body bandaged from nearly head to toe, Relena couldn't help but want to laugh seeing his hair. Like always, Heero's wild locks were rebelling from being confined underneath the bandages. Trying to brush the locks back into some order, she was startled to hear a sigh released from Heero's parched and chapped lips.  
  
"You can pull through this. I know you'll awake up and then we can be together, forever."  
  
-  
  
Everything was dark. Inside the recesses of the perfect soldier's mind blocked memories bombarded him to the point he wanted to shut off everything. Suddenly after the blur stopped, a light came on a silhouette of a young brown haired boy.  
  
The visions of a smiling woman quickly came rushing back. Taking him in her arms, he felt safe and loved. He laughed happily as she twirled him around, still holding him to her. Her deep blue eyes seemed to sparkle with hope and life. Everything about her radiated gentleness and peace. Every time he felt the least bit vulnerable, lost or afraid it was her voice that calmed him.  
  
The mother-son bond was especially strong between these two. The loss of his father, not knowing where he went, or who he was, had caused his utter dependence on the woman who brought him into the world. She was all he had.  
  
Things would have been so different in his life if she hadn't suddenly become ill with a rare disease. The doctors, who were busily monitoring her condition, had bad news to break to the lost looking child. At first the young boy didn't understand what was going on. However, seeing his mother's weak and tired eyes clued him in that something was wrong. Clasping his mother's hand as he sat at her bedside, the boy cried like he had never done before.  
  
As the monitors around them began to ring with alarms and frightening sounds he couldn't see the woman who was before him minutes ago. Feeling himself being pulled farther and farther away from the only family he had, the young boy's Prussian eyes strained to see what was happening to her. Reaching out to her proved futile as the darkness once again consumed him and pain returned.  
  
-  
  
Waking suddenly from her position huddled over the medical bed, Relena felt the bed's occupant shift. Looking up to his face, Relena was a bit afraid to reach out to wipe the sweat that was forming on his brow. Pulling her handkerchief out of her pocket, Relena let the silk fabric absorb the perspiration there.  
  
His skin was not the deathly cold she had thought it would be. In fact he was rather on the hot and clammy side. Looking away from Heero's sleeping body; Relena noticed the sun outside the hospital window was already high in the sky. Rubbing the sleep, or lack of good sleep, from her eyes Relena figured she had been there for the better part of a day, if not more.  
  
Her eyes returned to her love's face as a groan once again escaped his lips. His body movements were coming more readily now. Relena could only watch as his hands would twitch and his head thrashed against his pillow. She debated whether or not to leave for a moment to call in a doctor; Relena decided to wait a little longer at his side. Taking a hold of his hand again, Relena began to speak calmly to him in hopes he would calm down.  
  
"Calm down Heero. It's alright. You're safe here." She told him over and over. No matter what she seemed to say, nothing would calm him down. She was about to get up and find a doctor to giver him another round of medication until the sound of his froze her in place.  
  
"Don't leave me." He called out in a tone she had never thought she would hear from the brave solider. The man who had faced death countless times and never flinched sounded so lost and afraid. Instead of continuing to leave the room, Relena sat back down at his side and took up his hand again.  
  
His eyes were not yet open again as he continued to call out for someone. Relena didn't know what to say to ease his pain and worry.  
  
"I'll never leave you Heero. Nothing will ever make me leave your side. I promise you, I'll be the one to protect you now."  
  
Then out of no where the Prussian blue orbs of Heero Yuy opened slowly and uncertainly. Adjusting to the lighting of the room, Heero's eyes moved quickly to focus on Relena and her kind eyes.  
  
"M...mother?" His groggy voice whispered out to her as she saw uncertainty flash in his orbs. Relena could only sit there stunned as he stared up at her blankly. His eyes traveled slowly from her face to the various areas of the room they were in. Coming back to her face, the man on the bed closed his eyes and groaned.  
  
"Where am I?" He asked her. "What happened? Why am I here... who... who are you. Who am I?"  
  
-  
  
"He lost his memory?" Millardo asked his wife to repeat what she had been told by a distraught Relena.  
  
"She said he doesn't remember anything. Not becoming a Gundam pilot, or even the Perfect Solider organization. All he seems to remember is his mother." Noin handed over the squirming daughter in her arms to the concerned man before her. "Relena said that he's been asking where she is. No one knows anything."  
  
"Have you contacted Heero's surrogate father on the colony about it. They must have some information that we don't." He asked as he rocked his daughter to sleep.  
  
"Not yet, but aren't you just the least bit worried about all this. I mean, it's like the man in the hospital room isn't the Heero Yuy we know. He's a completely different person."  
  
"What do you mean?" Millardo asked not understanding his wife's words.  
  
"He's so fragile. Nothing like the stone cold Yuy you fought with and against."  
  
"Well, this only adds to our problems... we'll deal with it as things come along. Right now we have to keep an eye out for the Red Doves. It is only a matter of time until they come."  
  
-  
  
"Are you feeling better Heero...um, sorry, what was your name again?" Relena asked as she fluffed up the pillow the brown haired man leaned against. For the past hour the man before her had been throwing her for loops. Not only did he not remember her, or the gundam projects, but he acted completely different. His eyes were no longer the source of strength she had always found, now they were more frightened than anything.  
  
"It's Ryo." He said quietly watching her every move cautiously. "Did they find anything about my mother?" He asked again.  
  
"I'm sorry, nothing yet. But I'm sure we'll find something... why don't you tell me about yourself?" She asked trying to keep his mind from thinking about some one who was long dead and buried.  
  
"Relena, it was Relena right?" He asked only to get a nod from the woman before him, "Why am I so beat up? What happened to me?" 


	6. Attack

A/N:  
  
Back for another round of fun? I have no problems with that. Thanks for the reviews and I'm glad that everyone is enjoying the fic. On with the show!!  
  
-  
  
The next day Relena spent sitting by Heero's bedside. Well, in all honesty he was no longer Heero Yuy. The man before her was totally different from the perfect solider that had fought and single handedly saved the world and the colonies.  
  
Ryo was in most aspects Heero's opposite. Where Heero would be silent and brooding, Ryo enjoyed company. The deep Prussian eyes that had always bore deep into her soul every time Heero would look at her were still the same. Everything on the outside remained the perfect solider; however Relena knew that the new Heero Yuy would be unable to fight.  
  
After doing a great amount of digging and listening to Ryo, they had been able to understand a few things. Piecing together the life of Heero before he became the perfect solider only made her love him even more.  
  
Growing up Ryo only had his mother. When she became ill, little Ryo took care of her. Doctors had told him that his mother was going to die and even went so far as to put her into a home for the ill. It was on that way a younger Dr. J met a distressed and angry Ryo.  
  
Promised that his mother and he would be taken care of, he agreed to join the highly secretive organization Dr. J headed. After entering the program, Ryo could recount very little after that. Few memories of what was done to him during the training sessions, only memories of his mother's condition getting worse by the day.  
  
After speaking with Sally and other doctors they all agreed that Ryo's subconscious was able to break away from the work he was forced to do. He became the alternate persona of Heero Yuy because he lost the memories that made him Ryo. Relena's heart broke when she finally understood why Heero always felt lost and that he had nothing to loose in battle. He had been so lost about his past before and now he was just as lost as he was before.  
  
Not knowing what to do for him, Relena decided to sit at his side until they could figure things out. At the moment Ryo was peacefully sleeping in his hospital bed. After he had talked about himself and his mother, Ryo had surprised her when he had begun to ask about what he was like before the mission that caused his memory to slip. As she began to recount the many stories of their shared past, she couldn't help but notice the shock and horror that was painted on his face.  
  
The gundams, the wars, fighting each other, death of millions, and the thought of threatening someone as nice and kind as Relena were just too much for him to absorb in a sitting. The reaction from the woman at his side also unnerved him. She had somehow been able to see past the evil person this Heero Yuy was, and she cared for him to a degree that almost upset him.  
  
'Why would she risk her life to stay near a killer? A heartless murderer? I'm... I'm the murderer who did all that...' His mind questioned him as he attempted to sleep. In all honesty, the beautiful woman named Relena had tried to hide most of the horrible facts from him; however things would slip like how he shot down a shuttle of innocent people while piloting his gundam. Or the times he and her brother would fight with the intentions of killing each other.  
  
These thoughts and the lull of sleep both came to an abrupt halt when the building's alarms began to blare. Nearly jumping from his bed, and aggravating every injury he had sustained, the perfect solider could only sit there and hear the sounds of screams as the building shook.  
  
The doors to his room burst open and a man with long blonde hair and another with a braid came running in.  
  
"What? What is going on?" A confused and somewhat frightened Ryo asked as the blonde pulled Relena aside for a moment. While he did that, the man with the braid and funny smile began to pull back the sheets of the bed. "Hey!"  
  
"Calm down there buddy. We're friends remember... oh wait I guess you don't do you." The braided man said scratching his head. "Well it's not like I was going to do anything to you- we just need to get you out of here is all."  
  
There wasn't much that the injured man could do as he was pulled to his feet and quickly removed from the hospital wing all together. After a while the blonde man came to his other side and helped bare some of his weight with man named Maxwell. Together they carried him deeper into tunnels with Relena right behind. He couldn't help worry as the building once again shook with explosions around them.  
  
"Will someone please tell me what's going on around here?" He asked as he was finally set down in a room without windows and a heavily barricaded door. Relena was there in an instant and was trying her best to soothe him. But nothing anyone could say would allow his heart from not pounding with fright.  
  
"We'll return as soon as we can. I've sent Noin away from here at the moment, are you sure you want to stay Relena?" Millardo asked as he turned back before running off down the hallway with Duo.  
  
"I will never leave his side. We'll be fine down here. And if anything happens, we'll call you on the communicator you gave me." She said sitting down at Ryo's side showing her final decision.  
  
"Give it up. This overprotective big brother routine is getting really annoying Blondie." Duo shouted. "We need to do less talking and more fighting with the other guys outside."  
  
Millardo knew that Maxwell was right, like he was going to tell that moron that... he would never hear the end of the bragging. Instead, he merely nodded and turned to follow the other man.  
  
-  
  
"What is happening?" His deep Prussian eyes asked, no pleaded to know. Relena was unable to do or say anything that could stop his heart from feeling pain. She felt horrible that at a time like this she was unable to save him or do anything for him. Had their situations been reversed, Heero would have risked his life to make sure she felt no physical pain or threat. Yet now, when he was in danger all she could do was hold his hand like he was still the strong one.  
  
"Don't worry about it. Things will be alright."  
  
"How your eyes say something very different?" He asked in a saddened tone. "Why won't anyone tell me who is attacking, or why they are trying so badly to hurt me? What did I do?" Stopping himself before his emotions overcame him, Ryo felt desperation and fear muddle inside.  
  
Bringing his hand to her lips, Relena gave him a small smile. "Don't worry Ryo; I will not let anything happen to you. These people are out trying to reconcile an old grudge that should have been ended the moment you saved the world and peace. You've done so much good for others, given so much hope to many, and been a hero and a savior; these people are in the wrong. And your friends are willing to do whatever it takes to keep you safe, even if you don't remember us."  
  
Her words would have been convincing if it were not for the continued explosions rattling the very foundation of the compound.  
  
-  
  
A/N:  
  
With Heero's "real" name, coming up with a good name is harder than it sounds. After going through many different names and words with meanings, I just couldn't find anything that suited him. I got the name Ryo from a previous GW fic I wrote. I also kind of like the name Ryo personally for a few reasons... Anyway, I'll be back some time in the next week with another update- so keep your eyes posted for it. Also thank you for the reviews once again. Can't stress how much I like to hear them!  
  
That's it for now-  
  
Ja Ne 


	7. Bloody Past

A/N: Welcome back. Sorry for the wait- I had just finished my summer class, had the best of intentions to update and then regular classes started... Moving fun and other things coming into play, this story got kind of side tracked. GOMEN! Long story short- updates should be more frequent Enjoy!

-

Her words would have been convincing if it were not for the continued explosions rattling the very foundation of the compound.

For what seemed like hours the building walls rumbled under the heavy fire from above. The once strongest man in the universe now huddled protected by the comforting arms of Relena Peacecraft. He had stopped asking questions about who the attackers were, and how he could be involved. No one had seemed to answer him and his memories were certainly not able to help him.

He felt helpless. Like a child that had awoken from a nap and found out he had missed the greater part of a decade. Around new people, they were all strangers to him, and what made things worse was that he too was a stranger.

The once happy boy from the past was now in a larger man's body and it terrified him. All he could do was rely on the woman he clung to for support. Her smile had given him the assurance that she cared, and he held tight to any feelings at the moment.

-

After the bombing ended, Millardo came and got the pair from their secured hiding place. They all were silent as the two exited the room behind the ever cautious commander. Neither sibling spoke as they reentered the above ground Preventor building via the tunnel systems available.

Relena couldn't help but feel disheartened at the look of utter fear she had seen in Heero's eyes. It was the first time he had let that particular emotion surface. He seemed so different from the man she had clung to when trouble came so many times before. As much as she tried to assure him of them being safe she found she could never be so confident. The reassurance in Heero Yuy had always been enough for her- yet when roles were reversed things seemed lacking. She was no use to him during the attack except for her sheer presence and warm embrace.

Heero had never held onto her in such away either... the thing that bothered her most was that his warmth hadn't changed. The few times where she had been held by the perfect solider and the feeling of being in his arms were exactly the same Even though he had been terrified, probably even more than she was, Heero, well Ryo had still retained his same old way of communicating with her. It was that warmth that had kept her together down in that secured bunker.

"Millardo, I'm going to leave for the day." Relena spoke finally breaking the silence. "And I'm keeping Ryo with me." She added sternly waiting for any opposition from her over protective brother.

The once most feared man in the galaxy stood silent, reduced to merely watch the siblings. He didn't understand a lot of things at the moment- especially why he wanted to stay close to Relena as possible. However, the one thing he did fully comprehend was that the blonde man seemed to be hiding a greater problem with him.

Both Relena and the brown haired ex-pilot were nearly blown away as the commander nodded and called for an armed escort to take them to their destination.

-

The car ride was mostly silent. Sure Relena tried to make small talk or assure him everything was going to be fine. Yet, the more he heard that the more suspicious and disbelieving he became sitting silently trying to piece back together his life: why these people kept calling him Heero, or why the base was attacked, or how he could possibly lose an entire decade of his life.

Nothing anyone was saying made sense anymore and it was driving him crazy. And another thing was why he awoke in a hospital with so many wounds all over his body. The even scarier enigma to him was his own body. So many healed scars and stitches marks covered his tanned skin. How could one person accumulate all the abrasions? His mind wondered this over and over as he traced the more prominent lines on his arms that were visible and un-bandaged.

As the car stopped, Ryo was struck in awe of such a large residence before him. The door of the car was suddenly opened and Relena smiled as she exited first. The moment the car left the two standing on the front entrance area, Ryo began to take in his surroundings. The property was large. Well large, he decided, didn't do this place justice. Huge- extensive- Vast. These were better descriptions. The front lawn went on for yards and it was heavily protected by a forested maze and fences upon fences of security. There was every security measure imaginable in place, and yet, that didn't really reassure him he was 'safe' there.

"This is your home?" He asked still unsure of what to do, or even if he should talk at all. The girl before him smiled warmly at him once again. It was a smile that for some reason felt so very familiar. Maybe that was why he felt comfortable around her...

"Yes, this is. Both my brother's family and I live here." She replied thankful that he had finally spoken. As she was about to respond to him again, Relena was cut off with a happy squeal from her little niece coming from inside the house. Promise, with blanket in hand ran with open arms at the couple on the porch. Through the open door, Ryo watched the toddler's fast approach.

"Relena!" The little girl screamed as she launched herself into the foreign minister's arms. Once she was safely in the arms of her aunt, the child continued to ramble as another figure come up from behind.

"I'm sorry Relena. I thought I had thrown her to bed, but after all the commotion, well she's not tired now." The still young looking mother said with a sigh as she tried to pull the toddler off Relena. "So how are things back at headquarters? I'm actually glad you came because I want to get over there and help."

"Things have calmed down for now..." Relena was about to go into further detail until she remembered the man standing still halfway into the house looking rather lost. "Ryo, come in. This is Noin. She's Millardo's wife and my sister in law. Promise here is their little girl." She said handing Promise back over to her mother. Bolding taking Ryo's hand, she brought him into the house so the door could be closed.

"It's nice to meet you Ryo. I hope you feel right at home here with us. I understand you'll be staying here with us. Don't let my husband intimidate you. He's never really warmed up to anyone." She smiled as she excused herself and took her daughter back to the nursery for another try at nap time.

"Well, that just leaves us two. Are you hungry? We can have tea in my study?" She asked not knowing what to expect from him. With a simple nod from her companion, Relena led the way up the stairs to her study. Pushing a button behind her desk, her ever trusty attendant brought the tea to them.

The awkward silence continued as Relena watched him look over his surroundings, it surprised her how many of his actions now seemed to be more instinct than learned behavior. Relena tried everything to get the lost man at her side to open up as well. To her delight, he did little by little, telling her of all his childhood memories, of his mother and normal things he did at a time Relena couldn't even imagine. The Heero Yuy she knew never seemed to have capacity to actually be a child. Even though it sounded ridiculous, she had never really thought of him actually growing up. The ever-constant weapon, or training from birth- that had been her thoughts on a younger Yuy. He seemed so normal to her now and yet his past was still a sad one.

She had hoped there would be something good she could tell him, yet there was nothing. All the questions he asked of her went mainly unanswered. The sad fact of things was that for as much as she loved Heero Yuy, she knew next to nothing about him except for the killing. Deciding that his bloody past would only bother him, Relena withheld as much information as possible.

"How did we meet?" He asked after a short silence. "I mean you seem to know me, well the Heero me and you seem to care for him... me... yet I know nothing about us... or you." He said quietly as if he was ashamed of that fact. Here this beautiful woman was taking care of him and yet he couldn't even remember her, except for the smile and feeling of warmth in her embrace.

"Well, it was purely by chance really. I had wondered off and was walking along the coast when I saw you unconscious on the shore."

"And you loved me from that moment? You didn't even know me." He said looking her straight in the eye. He needed to know everything. He wanted her to come out and tell him everything. Every time she told him half stories and events with large chunks of information lacking, he only became more curious about what kind of life he had been living.

"What? Loved you? What... ah what are you talking about?" She tried to act like she didn't know what he was talking about. How had he seen right through her? She had never told him how she felt... quickly taking a long sip of her tea. The blush on her face was covered only temporarily as his hand took the cup from her hand and moved so she was looking at him.

"Your eyes... they told me everything... ever since I woke up to your face, they show the deep feelings...like my mother's did all the time. Yet yours are a different kind of love... I wish I could remember. I'm sorry." He said looking away quickly as to not make a fool of himself.

Relena was amazed at his insight. He had hit her square on. Quickly taking his hand in hers, she gave him a reassuring squeeze.

"Don't worry. We'll get thorough this."

"What about those men? The ones that attacked? What have I done to make them this serious about coming after me?" He asked again. "Won't they be back? Please... tell me what's going on." He asked of her. However this was something that Relena was not willing to do.

"I think you should rest now. Once you are feeling better, I'll tell you everything... I promise." She said standing up. Her face was grim, yet the smile tried to shine through. "Your room is across the hall. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to get things ready for your stay. I'll be right back." She told him as she stood and quickly exited the room.

Sitting in the large and ornate room alone was becoming a bit uneasy. Standing up, he couldn't help but wander around. Stopping to look at the many personal touches that adorned bookshelves and her desk, Ryo found several pictures most interesting.

His Prussian blue eyes stared down at the photo of himself and several other young men. Behind them stood several large machines all scuffed and worn looking. From the surroundings it looked like a battle field, however the people in the photo were mainly smiling. All except himself, and the dark haired Chinese man. Looking over to the next photo, it was a candid shot of the beautiful foreign minister dancing with a handsome brown haired gentleman.

'I want to remember her...' He thought to himself setting the photo of what would have been proof of their first dance together, if he could recall the moment that is.

Still there were more pictures of different people in Relena's life. She always looked happy and utterly gorgeous in each of the photos. The intimacy of the shots told of her deep relationship with all the five young men, however it was his relationship with her that Ryo most cared about. 'What if I never can remember her?'

There were many newspaper clips hanging on the walls as well. The text was removed from the main photos. Quickly skimming the collage of clippings his breath stopped as he came to one picture in particular.

It was him, well the person he was, Heero Yuy. The size of his body was so small in comparison to the large mechanical being he stood on. He didn't know how someone had taken this particular shot; the only thing he wanted to know was how he could have piloted such a machine. And why was he standing on a platform in front of the cockpit, looking like he was about to destroy himself and who knows what else.

Several other photos showed the same mechanical giant in a variety of settings. However the reoccurring theme was one of war.

'Could I have actually piloted this... this... weapon? Did I cause all that destruction?' He questioned himself over and over. 'Just exactly what kind of person was I?'

--

A/N: Again sorry for the wait- I'll be back in a few weeks for the next chapter. The action will pick up soon, so don't worry all you action fans. And there'll be lots more fluff too!

Until we meet again- Thanks for the reviews!!!

Ja Ne


	8. Haunting Moments

A/N: It's Gundam Time! Another chapter full of angst, drama, suspense, adjectives, nouns, and all that stuff! Oh and I cannot forget the fluff. Well of course, there is fluff. What kind of a writer would I be if I did not cave to a little fan service? FANSERVICE!  
Chant with me people! Fan service!  
Ok, you got it- enjoy!  
--   
  
'Just exactly what kind of person was I?'  
  
--   
  
His mind and heart were troubled. As lost and confused as he was only hours ago, nothing could break him from the photos of death that surrounded him.  
  
Closing his eyes, he tried to take a claming breath. However, instead of the soothing void of nothingness, an explosion went off before his closed eyes.  
  
His heart jumped as he opened his eyes and saw nothing out of the ordinary around him. He was still in Relena's room, safely tucked within the compound walls of her home. He shook his head to try to clear his thoughts.  
  
'What was that?' He wondered. Closing his eyes once again, Heero waited to see if the image came back to him.  
  
'Nothing...' He sighed. 'Just a figment of my imagination. I have been under a great deal of stress lately.' Nodding he decided to go with that thought.  
  
Walking away from the photos and back to the small coffee table, Heero waited for the beautiful woman to return to him. Sitting down he got as comfortable he could in the formal style chair. The stuffiness of the office didn't seem as strong as it was now when she was there, however now that he looked it over again, it became overwhelming. She just didn't seem to fit the room. He had only known her for a short time, yet he knew that a lighter, cozier atmosphere would suit her better.  
  
The wait seemed to take hours; in reality he did not know how long she was away because sleep quickly overcame him. He didn't realize his eyes had slipped closed until he found himself in what he could only describe as a nightmare...  
  
He was looking at a mirror image of himself. Same brown spiky hair, same clear Prussian blue orbs. However the other him was dressed in some sort of uniform, dark pants and a white shirt with a black tie around the collar. They were in a small room, maybe a dorm room because it only had a computer, desk and a bed. The other him didn't seem to notice he was there, because he continued to type on the computer.   
  
'Did I go to school here?' He pondered before he heard the door open. The figure at the door was dressed in what would be a normal school uniform on anyone else, however to him she looked like an angel with her hair framed by the light behind her. He could not hear the angel talk to him; he knew she was no threat. At least he thought so. However, his other self quickly drew a weapon out of nowhere. Pointing it at the woman with glaring eyes, he thought the man was going to shoot her. Running in between the gun and Relena, he waited for the bullet to fire.  
  
It never came. Before he knew what was happening four words echoed around him.  
  
"I will kill you."  
  
He was confused, why would he want to kill someone who clearly cared for the Heero Yuy he supposedly was before? Why was he putting a gun to her so calmly?  
  
"I will kill you."  
  
The background changed, yet the actors in the scenes did not vary. There he was with a gun pointed at her head. Same set of blue eyes piercing into the other across the barrel of the cold weapon.  
  
"I will kill you"  
  
'What is going on? Why doesn't she run? Get away!' He tried to shout at her. Clearly, she did not find him threatening. How was that possible? This clearly had to be a dream and he was still terrified of this Heero Yuy.  
  
"I Will Kill You"  
  
Again with the threat. Again another scene. This time they were on a boat. Her actions there shocked him speechless. Not only did she once again not flinch at the gun pointed at her, but she even went so far as to shield him from potential gunman's bullet.

'Why?' He called out to the figures. 'WHY?'

"I WILL KILL YOU!"

The voice echoed at a thunderous volume as explosions went off all around him. He could only try and avert his eyes from the blood stained visions. They all seemed to revolve around giant machines like in the pictures, and the soft haired woman who for some reason was always present. She saw the blood too, and yet was not disgusted or repulsed.

He could not say the same for himself. His body shook as he watched similar scenes. Trying to distance himself from the images he ran. He ran screaming away from the murder and war. His whole body ached as he shook with fear and confusion.

"Why am I seeing these things? Who am I? What kind of a monster am I?" He screamed as he ran.

"No, it's just a dream, only a dream... why can't I wake up... wake up! If I wake up everything will be fine, it's not real, any of this! NOTHING'S REAL!" He shrieked as his feet caught on something and he fell.

-

"Ryo! Ryo, calm down. Please calm down." Came the soft voice from above him.

Relena had returned to the room, fresh set of clothes for him in her hand, to find a panicking boy sleeping in the chair.

His eyes were closed but it was clear the boy was witnessing images of pure torture. His face contorted and his body shook. Dropping the objects in her hands, she ran over to the chair, hoping to calm him.

"Ryo, please wake up." She continued to tell him as she pulled him from the chair and held him where she knelt on the floor. Embracing him tightly and rocking him was all she could do to help him.

Suddenly his eyes jerked open and Ryo found himself in the warm arms of Relena. She was speaking in low tones, comforting him as only she could. He returned the embrace as he tried to calm down his rapid heartbeat.

His hot and heavy breath pushed across her neck as the brown haired man buried his face in her shoulder. She could feel his heart beat pounding in his chest and his body wrack with what sounded like sobs.

The trickle of tears came from his deep blue eyes to her shoulder.

'He's terrified... oh Heero, how can I help? I want to help you so much... if only you'll let me in.' She thought as she stroked his hair. How she had long to feel this close to Heero Yuy, however not in these circumstances.

"Ryo, I want to help you. Please let me in. You don't have to go through this alone." She told him finding courage as he shed tears.

She lost track of the minutes, as they stayed that way, in the peaceful embrace. Slowly his tears had stopped, and his breath evened out. Relena wasn't sure if he had fallen back into sleep; not wanting to wake him, she slowly tried to untangle herself from him.

"Don't leave me." Came a small voice as he tightened his grip on her body. Relena was the only light he could hold on to. She was like a life preserver in the sea of death and memories that plagued his mind when he closed his eyes. This girl alone could protect him from the foreign images

"I won't. I'll never leave you." She assured him. Moving her hands to his cheeks, Relena shifted so she could see into his eyes. "We'll get through this. What ever happened, it doesn't matter."

"I...I'm a monster..."

"What?" She asked still not fully understanding what had brought on this wave of traumatizing emotions. "What did you see in your dreams?"

"Death... everywhere... I... I can't take all the blood. It's everywhere." He told her searching her eyes for something, anything to make the pain go away.

Kneeling before him, she looked at him with compassion and love written on her face. Kissing his forehead, she cradled his head close to her.

"It's going to be fine. You were never a monster. I never once was afraid of you. I could see your good heart beneath all the walls of Heero Yuy. I knew deep down you were never anything close to a monster. And you will never be."

"But... how? How can you see past all the threats... those suits created for destruction... the lives ended by my hands..." He asked.

"Because I love you. No matter who you are; Heero or Ryo... you are you." She said after letting go of his head. "I love you." She whispered to him before she closed her eyes and brushed her lips against his.

It felt so right kissing her; it was a chaste kiss, a first kiss. It was a kiss that had so much feeling and meaning with in it. He didn't want to let her go, how could he let her go now?

The kiss continued to possess the pair, the outside world, especially the opening of the door and the entrance of a silent figure all was oblivious to them. It took an intentionally loud cough by the individual to get the couple to loosen their embrace.

Relena had to force her eyes off the brilliant blue that looked at her with so many emotions. Looking up, a red blush stained her cheeks as none other than her brother gave her a look of great discomfort.

"Noin asked me to tell you supper is done." The blonde man said controlling his urge to run and rip the man kneeling beside his sister to pieces.

"Daddy, what were they doing?" Came a little voice of his daughter who was covering her eyes behind his legs.

"Nothing, come along now. Let's go find mommy." He said quickly ushering his daughter away from the room, not before directing another look of warning at the boy.

"Relena..."

"No, don't say anything... just let me remember this moment." She said hugging him again. Taking in his warmth Relena was more determined to stay like this for as long as she could.

-

The night progressed slowly after the two made it down to the dinning room. The family had already began eating by the time the two arrived in the small private dinning area. Millardo and Relena both agreed that a sit down family meal was best done in a cozier room than the large state rooms for dignitaries.

Relena kept noticing the looks her brother was giving to Ryo as he picked at his food. Noin had to kick her husband from underneath the table to get his attention away from staring at their guest.

Ryo attempted to converse with the family that had adopted him for the time being. However it was hard to open up to people that were keeping something from you. He felt comfortable around the women of the group; the only one who still had issues with his presence was Relena's brother.

'I must have really given him reason to hate me...' Ryo thought as he stabbed the chicken on his plate with a fork. 'Why else would he feel so threatened?' And yet, maybe the man with the serious eyes would actually be the one to tell him what he wanted, what he needed to know.

'I'll attempt to talk to him later... after all he was there during the battle earlier... he had to know what's going on.'

"You're not eating anything. Are you not hungry?" Relena asked seeing his worried face. Ryo's thoughts were broken instantly with the sound of her voice.

"What?" He asked looking up at her with lost eyes. He had not really been paying much attention. "The food, no I'm not really in the mood to eat right now." He said apologetically. "I'm actually more tired than anything."

"Well, I can show you back to your room if you like." She suggested hoping to get away from her brother at the moment. He was really making her mad at the moment. She had thought that he would support her decision to protect the one she loved. However that seemed to fly straight out the window after he walked in on their kiss.

'His lips...' She sighed remembering the softness of them again. 'This has to work out, please... please let me be there for him like he was there for me... I want to be at his side always...'


	9. A LittleTalk

A/N: Hello again-

I have to say, the original copy of this chapter died along with my computer on Friday... technically it wasn't **my** computer- but that's a different story... Anyway Friday so sucked! I Hate Microsoft!

I innocently update the Windows security like prompted and then boom! Restart city... it totally pissed me off.

However, I fixed everything by the end of the day- thanks to the oh sooo cute computer guy. I read a few GW fics, got back into the mood and suddenly I recreated the chapter.

The moral of the story folks... um...

I got' nothing.

Make up your own...

And

Enjoy!

-

Relena had led him through the halls to the room they had set up for him. It was large, not to mention way to fancy.

However, none of that mattered as he settled down in the bed. He felt bad for lying to them all, he was not tired in the least. At dinner, he had decided to talk with the blonde man to get more information. No one else was talikng, and he had a feeling the only one to turn to was the older man.

Relena was still beside him sitting on the bed as he closed his eyes. Not that he minded her sitting on the bed, stroking his hand affectionately, however he had so much to figure out now. Her soft fingers and the warmth that he felt when she was near were also quite distracting. He fought with his eyes to remain closed and pretend sleep had claimed him.

Once he calmed down his breathing, she accepted he had fallen asleep. Getting up from her spot on the bed slowly, as to not disturb him, Relena bent down and placed a soft kiss to his forehead.

"I love you. No matter who you are. And I'll protect you." She whispered before she left his side. Walking to the door, she finally exited.

Ryo waited for the click of the door latch before he exhaled all the air he had been holding back. 'How can she have such an effect on me?' He wondered as he waited a little longer to get up.

Quietly slinking over to the door, Ryo pressed his ear up against the solid wooden frame to make sure no one was out in the hallway. Hearing nothing, he opened the door enough to stick his head out, also to find nothing in the hall.

Slipping outside of his room, Ryo began to retrace the trek back towards the dinning area. While Relena had brought him back, he made sure he could find his way alone by taking notice of the wall hangings.

Soon he found himself at the doors to the family's dinning room. The lights were dimmed and no sounds came from within. Opening the doors lightly, he was discouraged to find the dishes gathered and taken away, a solitary maid occupied the room, wiping down the table.

Sighing Ryo knew he could not give up now. Coming all this way for nothing was not an option. Continuing to wander the halls, he made out a faint noise that sounded like voices. Following the voice, he soon recognized it to be that of Millardo, Relena's brother, and his current target.

Ryo found himself in a different hallway leading to a well-lighted room at the end of the hall. Quietly he came up to the door that was cracked open. Sure enough, it was the older man in the room, talking to someone possible over a videophone.

Not knowing if he should intrude, Ryo stood by the door contemplating his next move.

"You can go in if you like." A feminine voice said from behind him. Jumping in little Ryo realized he had not even heard the woman coming up behind him.

"Sorry, if I scared you." She smiled warmly. "Millardo will be done soon, so just go in."

Ryo followed silently as the dark haired woman opened the doors to the room and entered. Taking in his new surroundings, Ryo found this room more relaxed in feel than the many other rooms. It had a family room, or den feel. A small fire burnt in the fireplace across the room from the doors.

The blonde man looked up from his piles of papers to find his wife and the brown haired ex pilot come into the room.

"Is she asleep?" He asked in his deep voice ignoring the other occupant of the room.

"Finally, Relena is reading her a story." Noin answered as she walked over and looked at the piles of paper. "I'll finish these, I think you two need to talk." She added as she picked up the pile and exited the room after kissing her husband.

Once the door shut, the two men stood in silence for a time, their eyes ran up and down the other- trying to get a better understanding the other man.

Millardo never did like the man before him. He had his reasons; the former adversary, Heero Yuy was the only man alive that could actually give Millardo a fight that really mattered. It annoyed him that every time they met on the battlefield their test of strength had been interrupted. Neither wanting to concede loss to the other, Yuy had been a worthy opponent.

However, that was not half of the blonde's problem with the younger man. Once the war was over there was a new reason for him to be weary of the brown haired man. It all started during the war actually, once a certain young woman reentered his life.

The day he found out his younger sister was still alive; the older brother instinct had kicked in full gear. He was very protective towards Relena. Ever since the end of the war, Millardo had promised himself that family would always come first in his life, he was now dead set on making sure all the family he had left in the world would be happy and safe.

It irritated him how much she clung to the Wing Zero pilot, even during the war. Seeing Relena run to Heero, a solider with hands as bloody as his own, numerous times caused pain and jealousy to arise in the older man. From the first time, he had seen Relena, she was involved with the younger pilot more than he would have liked.

After the Christmas uprising, when Heero had been taken to the hospital unconscious and exhausted, Millardo knew Relena's feelings for the gundam pilot was not a silly crush. Her words of love, and gentleness towards the sleeping man reminded him of his love. The bond he and Noin shared was similar to the younger couple's... he could not deny it even if he tried.

The big brother in him knew that deep down he should be happy for her, however he was not sure on Yuy's feelings... if he even felt anything. At times it was hard to read the perfect solider, the only thing that the man showed emotion in was threatening to kill the young woman who kept following him.

There were hints at something a kin to affection towards his sister that could be seen, if one looked hard enough. Millardo's desire to protect the beautiful woman was matched only by Heero Yuy.

"I know you don't like me..." Ryo began breaking the silence between the two men. "And, I'm sure I've given you reasons to feel that way, however I came to ask you for a straight answer..."

"Are you sure you want to know about the past?" Millardo asked sitting down in a chair near the fire.

"I've seen flashes of large machines, death, everything is so haunting... yet... I need to understand what's going on. You can't shelter me forever. I want to know what I did to make those people hate me so much that they attack a peaceful organization..."

"What exactly are your feelings for Relena?" The man asked instead of answering any question.

"Relena..." Ryo began but stopped. "I'm so confused right now... I don't know myself, how can I possibly feel anything for anyone here... but it's different with her. I remember that smile, and the warmth more clearly than anything." He continued to search his heart for the right words to describe Relena. "I... I... know I don't want anything bad to happen to her, I just have this feeling inside that tells me I've loved her for a long time..."

Millardo nodded emotionlessly and motioned Ryo to take a seat in the chair across from him. He hated putting the confused boy on the spot, adding frustration on top pf the current situation could only cause him more problems. However, before he stuck his neck out anymore for the ex pilot, he needed to know.

The younger man's words had assured him that he understood what was important. Millardo had been so thankful to find someone like Noin in his life. The warrior within had been quelled as he found true importance in loved ones- he wanted Relena to feel happiness like he and Noin.

"Heero Yuy was the code name given to you by the L1 colony in Operation Meteor..." The blonde began as he attempted to help piece together the life of the man next to him. Relying on information, he had received from the Preventor's research archives, and his own experiences with the perfect soldier, Millardo told the quiet man everything he knew.

"You we injured badly in your last mission... we had thought their target was the Vice Foreign Minister, however we were wrong."

"So they murdered this Dr. J person, destroyed the base on L1, and now seek to destroy every part of this Perfect Solider program..."

"Basically that is correct."

"So I am the reason they attacked... they had every right to want me dead... these hands..." He said in a voice full of disgust as he looked down on his hands. "I've murdered so many... caused so much pain..."

"As much as I hate to admit it, Heero Yuy saved us all. He may have murdered and killed during the wars, however if it were not for you... we would have all failed and there would still be more blood shed today." Millardo replied knowing what the young man was going through. It had taken him a time to recover and move on in a new life after all he had done in the years leading up to the peace. No one who survived the wars were innocent- they all had blood on their hands in one-way or another.

"Murder is still murder." He said countering any understanding Millardo was trying to get across.

"I've done all that... and still she loves me." Ryo whispered more to himself than for the ears of the other man.

"She's a remarkable woman. Her heart is limitless, however it is fragile."

Ryo looked up at the man who looked at him with stern eyes.

"It would hurt her if I left..." He said in a way that made it more of a statement than a question. He received a nod from the other man.

"I... I want to protect Relena... I cannot sit back and be protected from something I must face... I need to do something."

Millardo smiled at the young man's determination. The person in front of him was so different from the Heero Yuy he had known during the war; however, it was clear that the old Heero was not totally gone. The intense look of determination in his Prussian blue eyes was the same.

"I've asked several of the other pilots to come and better come up with a strategy to put down this current uprising... this group has shown itself to be a threat to the peace. We will deal with it." Millardo told him.

"What do I do?"

"As you are right now, there is nothing you can really do. Until you regain your memories on combat or something else comes up, I want you to lay low and stay near Relena."

-

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming and I promise to keep the chapters going as well. Actually I'm hoping to finish this fic rather quickly... before the huge amounts of school papers begin to be due.

Ja Ne Minasan


	10. Captured

Chapter 10-

As he made his way, slowly back through the halls and back to his room, Ryo's mind shuffled through all the new information. The massive amounts of knowledge seemed almost too much to process. The scary thing was that the information Zechs, well he went by the name Millardo now, only covered a small portion of his life. There was very little on his training and even less on his missions before this Perfect Solider project sent him to earth.

Long gone was any speck of his old life- _his_ mother, _his_ childhood, _his_ life; he now found replaced by burdens of war he faced alone. As much as the older man's story bothered him, Ryo knew it and every bloody detail was true. The small visions now fit better in his jumbled memories.

Opening the door to his room, he could not help but notice a still figure stretched over the covers of his bed. Walking closer, he found the sleeping form of Relena waiting for him. The rise and fall of her chest kept in rhythm with her shallow breathing and mesmerized him.

He did not have the heart to wake her, nor did he want to disturb her slumber. Sitting on the bed, he just watched her and marveled at the beauty and strength that radiated from her entire being.

Scanning the room, he found a folded blanket on a chair. Using it to cover her up, Ryo decided he too should try to get a few hours of sleep. Getting as comfortable as he could, lying on the opposite side of the bed from Relena, Ryo finally allowed his tired and emotionally drained body to rest.

His mind was at ease as the warm arms surrounded him sometime during the night. Nightmares disappeared as quickly as they had appeared with her there supporting him.

Relena did not know what images caused his distress; however, she awoke when needed. He calmed easily under her touch and soon he was sleeping peacefully. Pulling him to her, Relena was also able to find a similar peace with him. This was something special she noted- she had not felt this free for years.

Yet, the night of restful sleep was not to be for anyone in the Peacecfraft estate. Before dawn broke over the horizon, a mass of attackers struck. The silent killers completely overwhelmed the compound's security measures and quickly swept up to the front doors.

Waves of black-cloaked men, backed up by machines assaulted the walls of the mansion. The alarms went off and wailed through the halls of the slumbering house.

Taking his wife by the hand and crying daughter in the other, Millardo rushed them to a secure bunker. After safely depositing his family, he knew he needed to go back and make sure hiss sister and Ryo were safe as well. However, before he was able to get back into the mansion the protective doors closed and sealed. It was impossible to get past them until the hostile presence left. He knew with all the fail-safe devices, there was nothing that could get through. Millardo only had to hope that his sister had enough time to make it to another of the sealed bunkers.

"Damn it! Open these doors now!" Millardo shouted as he pounded on the doors.

-

The alarms awoke the two slumbering occupants of the bed with a start. Quickly taking his hand, Relena led the still half asleep and groggy Ryo out the secret entrance to the room and into a dark hallway.

"Ryo, we need to get to my brother." She whispered.

'What… what's going on?" He asked only to have Relena place her hand over his lips.

"They are attacking. We have to find Millardo in the bunker system- we have to get there. Follow me."

Nodding, Ryo silently followed holding tight to her hand. Hiding in the shadows the two crept across the compound and away from the gunshots echoing off the empty halls.

Without warning Relena suddenly stopped and turned towards Ryo. The fear in her eyes scared him as she pushed him behind a billowing curtain. He was about to ask her way the sudden change of direction until he heard the voices of troopers approach.

They came out of nowhere and instantly spotted Relena. Before he could reach out and safely pull her inside the small hiding place, a masked man took her arm. She fought to free herself from the man's grasp, however another came and took her free arm.

"Let me go!" She struggled. Ryo did not know what to do at that moment. Watching them rough up such an innocent and kind person like Relena was maddening. However, he stayed quiet for now.

"Hey, isn't she that political chic? The one who is always in the pictures with Yuy?" One of the men asked pulling the woman closer. Grabbing her face the man looked down on her with cold eyes. If that was not enough to get Ryo to move, the man's next actions would.

Withdrawing his hand from her face, the soldier gave her a quick slap before pushing her into the arms of the other man.

In the span of a few seconds, Ryo went from scared to rage… it was instant rage when he dared lay a hand on her. Suddenly his vision saw only red. Moving with a speed, he did not know he had within; the curtain ripped off the runner in one swift motion of his hand and swept over the man who held Relena.

In the confusion, Ryo made quick work of the other man, the one who brought on the strong feelings of hate. Snapping his neck easily, Ryo stayed there silently watching the blood trickle out of the man's mouth. It both fascinated him and frightened him on some levels.

When Relena and her captor finally freed themselves from the thick fabric, both were stunned. There was Ryo, looking so much like the Heero of old hovering over the dead body on the floor.

His emotions again fell behind the mask of the perfect solider- a majority of them anyway. Struggling to come to grips with what happened, Relena could tell Ryo was struggling not to become the killer of old.

Relena saw the pain that came with the realization he had killed spread across his face as Ryo looked at her and than back to the corpse. The other solider say his chance and opened fire on the attacker. Feeling the poorly aimed bullets piercing his shoulder and arm, Ryo hardly moved. It was not until Relena tried to stop the man, that Ryo acted.

Moving with lightning reflexes, the man's gun was turned on him. Relena gasped and backed away from the bloody scene. Ryo had over powered the man and shot him between the eyes.

Dropping the gun to the floor with shaky hands, Ryo's breath came out in a choked sob. Blood covered him, both his and the other man's. Falling to his knees, Ryo could not explain what had over come him.

"Why…" He whispered into the darkness. As his shoulders throbbed with pain, he felt the warmth of Relena trying to get his attention.

"Ryo…" She said as she approached him slowly.

"NO! Don't come near me…" He shrieked, starling her to a stop. She was just an arm length away from him, but her hand could not reach for him.

"Ryo, we have to get out of here. There will be more."

She watched as he slowly tilted his head to look at her, Ryo's eyes looked so lost. Hearing ominous footsteps not far down the hallway, Relena once again pleaded with him to run with her. However, no matter what she said, the man kneeling in front of her stayed still- lost in his trance brought on by the blood on his hands.

It was too late to run, they were surrounded in seconds and with a hit to the back of his head, Ryo fell to the floor, unconscious. Relena fought for him, as the soldiers began to drag the boy away from her.

"Take them both if she's going to be a problem." An order was given and now Relena found herself being dragged as well.

-

The mansion's grounds were silent once again after a mass of guards forced the intruders back behind the protective gates. Little did they know that the masked enemy had retreated for other reasons…

Millardo, leaving his family still in the protective care of several armed soldiers, made his way upstairs.

"Status!" He yelled seeing the mess created by the intruders. Several officers approached and informed him of the situation. "Has Relena been located?"

"We suspect she is in the second bunker sir." Some guard answered.

"Suspect? Why don't you know?" Millardo asked with his anger growing. He wanted to know where they were and now. There was just something bugging him about the sudden attack and retreat. It was not like this group to retreat without fulfilling their mission.

"There's a lot of debris down that hallway sir- we have a squad moving down that way as we speak."

"Give me your side arm," Millardo commanded. "I'm going myself. Secure the perimeter and double check everything!"

"Yes, sir." With that, the long blonde haired man ran down the darkened hallways and towards the second safe room.

-

A/N:

Sorry it has been a while since the last update- BUSY!

I guess you figured that- I promise not to take toooo long to finish this fic- I will have tons of time after Christmas!

I'm done with classes in two weeks and then it's only two months until I'm off to the land of anime! Too bad, I actually have to take classes over there- otherwise it would be all for fun… Watch out Tokyo, Kate's coming! YEAH!

Until the next time,

Ja Mina


	11. Awakenings

The darkness of her surroundings and the odor of fresh blood in the air caused Relena to shiver. The soldiers that had taken them from the mansion, roughly deposited her in the dark room alone. Rubbing her head, she found the source of the blood smell. She had been knocked unconscious with a blunt hit to her head. Wiping the bleeding area with her hand Relena looked around her.

Seeing nothing but a large metal door across from her position, Relena didn't know what possible escape plans she could hope on. Curling into the corner Relena tried to figure out her next move. She knew they were both as good as dead if something did not happen and soon.

'Millardo won't be able to get to us in time…so I guess it's up to me this time.' She told herself trying to overcome her worries. Building up her determination, she stood and walked confidently over to the door. Pressing her ear up to the cold steel, she tried to get a better sense of the surrounding movements outside.

The footsteps of several people grabbed her attention. Hearing them come closer, she moved away from the door and back into her corner. Pretending to be unconscious or asleep, she closed her eyes and tried to stop her heart from exploding with fear and worry.

The door screeched open on rusty hinges to reveal several men with weapons. Two entered and turned allowing more to enter behind them. After four men were inside, two more brought an unconscious and bloody man in dragging his feet on the floor. The first to enter reached up and pulled chains hanging from the ceiling down to clasp them around the man's wrists.

Relena listened as the chains clanked and locking noises indicated they were restraining the man. Things then went silent- the room was too quiet and it made Relena worry all the more about the condition of their prisoner.

There was no doubt that the man they were shackling was Ryo. The question of his condition remained the major concern to her as time ticked on.

Time passed slowly as she waited for the mass of men to leave the room. When they finally did exit, Relena was frightened. What would she find they had done to the man she loved? Was he even alive? When would they be back? How was she going to get them both out alive?

So many questions jumbled inside of her head, yet she had to find out and help Ryo. Standing up once again, she slowly walked over to the center of the room. With the limited light sources, Relena couldn't see all the damage that Ryo suffered.

Slowly she took Ryo's face in her hands. Feeling large bruises and cuts on his face, tears welled in her eyes thinking of the pain he was always going through in his life.

"Ryo… Ryo wake up…" She called in a whisper. "Please, show me you are still here." She pleaded as she frantically looked for a pulse from his neck.

Relena kissed his lips when she found the faint pulse she so desperately wanted. A slight groan rose from his lips and assured Relena that he had not left her just yet.

"Ryo, oh, Ryo…" She didn't know what to say, or do at the moment. After letting herself panic for a moment, Relena gave herself a mental slap.

'Stop it. Take one thing at a time. Tend to Heero, I mean Ryo first, then escape, and afterwards panic.'

Ripping at her clothing, Relena crudely wrapped the dripping wounds on his body. Tearing away the already tattered clothes he wore, she tried to suppress the tears. Who ever the men where, they were thorough in their torture. Cuts and bruises ran from head to toe.

Once she bandaged as much as she could, Relena tugged at his restraints. Finding them tightly secured and no hope of tugging his wrists or legs free, Relena once again let despair creep up within her mind.

'I've failed… I've failed him… we're both going to die. I'm sorry Ryo…'

"Re..lena…" A parched throat called to her. The voice gained her attention and brought her back to the present.

"Ryo. Oh Ryo, are you in pain? Tell me what I can do…" She pleaded as she tried to take some of the dead weight off his wrists. The men had shackled his wrists to a bar hanging from the ceiling. His arms stretched out above his head, and his legs barely touching the ground, Relena knew his already weak body could not take much more abuse.

-

"What do you mean the bunker is empty?" Millardo raged at the tired soldiers. They had worked for nearly an hour clearing the hallways to the extra bunker. Finding it empty and large amounts of blood scattered around the floor in one particular corridor only added to the blonde's foul mood.

"We have some one going over the security feeds as we speak sir." An officer spoke interrupting the tantrum of the older brother.

"Good. At least someone around here is earning their keep. I want this entire building searched. Any clues send them to me. I'll be in the central control room."

Millardo had left the debris-cluttered hallway and made his way to the heart of the command center. He needed to feel some kind of organization and control otherwise he felt he would explode.

It was not long after he finally calmed down behind the display screens and computer readouts that his little bubble of controlled rage was disturbed.

"Wow, lookie here." Came the loud American accent from behind the doors. Once they opened the figures of four men appeared. Each was surprised at the massive damage the building had amassed.

"So Blondie, why'd you throw a party without me?" Duo Maxwell questioned.

Quatre did his best to quiet down the brash and loud pilot seeing the tension on Millardo's face.

"Um, Duo, I don't think now is the time for jokes." The younger blonde commented. "What happened here?"

"Revenge…" Was the cold, yet observant remark from the Chinese man.

"By the looks of it, Yuy's enemies have finally caught up with him." Trowa expanded. "They were very determined." he added before becoming silent once again.

"Do we know where they are? I'm assuming they took Relena as well…" Quatre asked moving closer to Millardo. Looking at several of the flashing screens, he tried to get a better assessment of the situation.

"Relena was with him at the time. We're pretty sure she was taken…" Millardo gave a frustrated sigh. "I had a bad feeling from the start… I knew this would happen."

"Don't worry; Heero is with her, he's never let her down before." Duo brushed off the seriousness of the situation like always.

"He's not Heero… he's changed into some weak…afraid… little boy." Millardo snarled. Just thinking about the changed Ryo's attitude towards violence caused Millardo to worry even more.

"His head took quit a hit in the accident, but I doubt he's lost the deep down need to protect his loved ones. Relena might be the only thing he will fight for now." The voice of reason came once again from Quatre.

"He'd better." Millardo added before he began to fill the pilots in on the severity of the situation.

-

Relena was thankful when Ryo finally came to. Looking into his Prussian blue eyes would always have a calming effect.

"Wh…where are we? What are you doing here?" His throat cracked as he tried to speak further.

"We're safe," She wanted to tell him, yet she knew he would not believe that.

"They've taken us to some storage bunker. I was unconscious for the trip… I'm sorry." She tried to hold back a sob. "I'm sorry…"

"Sorry? Sorry for what?" He asked trying to get a better look at her face. She had turned away from him, not wanting him to see the desperation and fear in her eyes. Straining against his restraints, Ryo tried for a better angle to look at her face.

"I failed you… you've always done so much for me… and I fail you when you needed me the most… I'm worthless."

"You loved me…" Ryo began after a period of silence. "You cared for such a monster… someone others would have locked up or killed, yet you saw the real me… how could you have failed me? You saved me Relena. From the little I remember of Heero's life, he knew from the moment he saw you, that you'd save him…us…me."

Turning back towards him, Relena cupped his cheek in a tender caress.

"You were never a monster to me," she smiled. "Just a little scary at times."

"I won't let you die here… Relena you have my word…"

"That might prove to be difficult." A voice came from outside the room. The door's locks loudly unlocked and soon the door swung open.

"I'm glad you are awake, I thought after that beating you'd be nearly dead." The same voice grew louder as a man wearing black entered. "Ms Vice Foreign Minister, I'm so glad you could join us. However, coming here was a very bad decision on your part."

"What do you want from us?" Relena screamed placing herself in front of Ryo.

"You all should know exactly what we want… Him!" The man pointed at Ryo. "The Red Doves have deemed him a danger to peace. He has murdered our families, destroyed countless lives, and piloted a true death machine. He cannot have a place in this world…. You of all people should understand this…"

"No! You are the danger to peace. Attacking a space satellite, a government center and then deciding that you understand justice better than anyone… you are the true danger here!" Relena screamed out.

A strong hand slapped across her face before she could go on. Blinking back tears, Relena looked up at the man and received another slap. This time the unexpected force caused her to fall roughly on the cold floor.

"You stupid bitch! You've been brainwashed by him, can't you see!"

Ryo could not hear anything more from the conversation. After witnessing the man touch Relena like that, his eyes went red. Anger and the urge to shed blood grew within his body.

Ryo did not know exactly what was happening; he could not and would not allow that man or anyone touch her like that. For a moment, it felt like a switch went on in his mind as the man approached Relena a second time. Once he saw her hit the ground, the wanting and sheer need to tear that man's head off became too much.

Feeling his muscles flex, Ryo sprung into action. As the man rose his arm above Relena about to strike at her again, a chain wrapped a round his neck and pulled him backwards…

A/N:

Sorry for the delay- I know it has been an entire month- you must be soo pissed. GOMEN!

I promise to finish the story quickly. Therefore, no more months of waiting!

Thanks for the reviews that come in- and for not giving up hope in updates

Enjoy and I'll see you later!

Ja Ne


	12. New Journey

A/N:

Sorry for the delays- I wanted to get another story finished before I went full out with this one.

You forgive me, ne? Hopefully... thanks for not giving up and leaving reviews and little messages of encouragement. Things have gotten really busy with me leaving the country and all- In two days, Kate will no longer be in the country! Hopefully this doesn't mean I'll stop writing fics- I plan on writing more, so keep an eye out for me.

Thanks for waiting and here's the chapter you've all been waiting for...

* * *

The man's body flew across the room before he had the chance to strike Relena a second time.

Ryo's eyes were closed as his body continued to swing from the chains that held him. Using his legs- he had hooped the man's head between his feet shackles. Relena was silent as Ryo swung back and forth from his arm restraints after snapping the other man's neck.

His breath was ragged as he tried to calm the anger that erupted seconds ago.

As the man's body slumped down to its final resting place on the floor a jingle of keys caught their attention.

Moving swiftly, Relena snatched they keys and returned to Ryo's side. Releasing his chains, Ryo quickly pulled her to his chest.

"Relena... are you all right?"

"I'm fine... but you're bleeding all over..."

"He hit you... I..."

"I'm fine," she tried to assure him as his fingers moved over the bruised area of her face. "We need to escape before more come... and we need to get you to a doctor. Ryo you shouldn't be running around at all after what happened in space, it was only a few days ago..."

"You are more important." He simply stated removing his hand from her cheek. Grabbing Relena's hand, Ryo kicked down the door of the cell and led her out of the dark and creepy room.

Looking back at the woman behind him, Ryo's eyes went angry again thinking of the bruise on her face and the fear in her eyes.

Dropping her hand, he ran ahead letting a primal roar echo on the walls of the compound. He saw nothing, felt nothing and most of all he was not going to let anything stop him from keeping these men away from her...

Relena was afraid, yes that was only natural when a situation like this happened. She was use to danger and fear- yet there was something different this time.

The former queen of the world, vice-foreign minister who had survived blackmail, kidnaping and several wars now found a new source of fear...

It was no longer these Red Doves, their possible death or the guards beginning to shoot at them... no something much worse worried her. It was the man ahead of her. The look in his eyes... they were void of everything but rage. She called out to him as he dropped her hand, but no response.

The look in his eyes for a moment made her question if she could help him- help him back to a comfortable place between both extremes. Between the pacifist and kind soul of Ryo and the machine-like fighter and lost soul of Heero Yuy.

Watching him murder armed men with his bare hands made Relena sick to her stomach. Even when they were safe enough from the injured men, Relena had to look away as Ryo continued to pummel the enemy.

Their screams for mercy were what finally made Relena go into action.

Throwing herself in front of one bleeding and battered man before another fist could connect, Relena took the full force of Ryo's hate and pain.

The impact from his fist felt like a ton of bricks; she had never felt anything this strong... this much force... the power behind the misleading stature of Heero Yuy caused Relena to fly back and hit the wall with a thud. A small scream of pain left her lips before she lost consciousness.

It was that cry that calmed a portion of the rage in his soul. Blinking and trying to clear his head, the former pilot looked around at the carnage. His eyes stopped at the form of a small woman slumped against the corner... her eyes closed and her face relaxed.

Rushing to her with lightening speed, he noticed blood coming from her lip and a fresh wound from another impact to her face. His hands shook as he ran to her and checked for a pulse.

"Relena... did... did I do this?" He asked her not remembering what happened when his rage erupted.

He had wanted to keep her safe... keep those men from hurting her... never had it even occurred to him that she needed protecting from himself as well.

"I'm sorry... Relena, I'm sorry." He whispered to her as he took her in his arms in a gentle embrace. "I'm sorry love."

* * *

Zeches and the other gundam pilots quickly entered the compound of the Red Doves. After tracking a device, secretly placed on Relena's clothing by an... over protective big brother, the group had assembled and moved out.

Armed with a massive re-con division of the preventers, the men stormed the building expecting large resistance. Instead they found small pockets of scared men who already voluntarily disarmed and surrendered.

The frightened looks on their faces caused Zechs to worry. 'Just what happened here and where is my sister? Yuy... I swear if she's hurt, you had better hope these bastards kill you before I get to you...' He thought as he continued to search. Finding nothing but terror and blood all throughout the compoundhe began to get angry, and then Duo only added to Zechs foul mood with another one of his comments.

"Maybe they don't want to be found, well at least for an hour or two.. You never know- Heero could be a stud."

The remark of possible...compromising situations going on between the ex-gundam pilot and his little sister made Zechs double his efforts to find them and now!

Nearly sprinting down the hallways Zechs heard some noise coming from a room off the main hallway. Turning quickly, he threw open the door and drew his gun. Pointing it at the occupants of the room, Zechs wasted no time announcing his presence.

"Yuy, get away from my sister!" Zechs shouted even before he knew the identities of the two people in the room. Getting a better look at the man in the room as their eyes met, Zechs was stunned speechless.

Seeing actual tears running down the face of his greatest rival- not of the Ryo from earlier, but the eyes of Heero Yuy, the warrior- hit him like no other impact had in life.

"What did you do to my sister?" Zechs would have spit venom if he had the ability.

No response came from the man who held Relena in his arms. After taking a deep breath, the brown haired man stood up. Still clutching Relena to his chest, he brought her over and gave her to her brother.

"Keep her away from me... All I ever do is hurt her... all I can even bring is pain...I'm better off dead." He said in a dejected voice. His eyes were still teary and void of everything. "Tell her one thing will you..."

"That you love her and think that leaving will make her happy? Get over yourself!" Zech snarled. He knew that Yuy would kill himself- it was that look in his eyes, the one that Zechs had seen in many soldier's eyes after they had finished their final mission and didn't wish to continue.

"So you're running away? Like the coward you are! I knew you were never good enough for her! She wasted five years of her life on you!"

"Yes, she did..." Came Heero's monotone reply.

"If you were truly a man, you'd stay and work things out." Zechs didn't know why he was doing this... maybe it was for the little sister he held in his arms. She would only be happy if this man was in her life... and Zechs did want to see her happy... he would have to get use to that fact. "You remember your past now don't you? Well live that life. Don't throw away the Heero Yuy from the wars along with the Ryo from the past... live as both... live for her."

"But I've killed too many... even when I didn't want too... I..."

"We repent in our own ways... I have Noin and Promise, they make me a full man... no longer a nameless killer... I am Millardo Peacecraft. You find out who you are- Heero Yuy, Ryo, or maybe there's room for both."

* * *

Relena awoke with the sun in her eyes. She was a little sore, but nothing seemed broken. Stretching out on her bed, Relena found she was back in her room at home in the Peacecraft mansion.

Everything from before came flooding back into her mind- the Red Doves, the blood, Heero... 'where was he? Was he still there?' Her mind raced. Sitting up quickly, her hand hit something hard. Hearing a groan, something shifted in her bed and rolled over.

Relena blinked twice to make sure she wasn't seeing things. There in her bed, sleeping above the covers was a bandaged Heero Yuy. His eyes were closed but his serious look still stayed put on his face.

Shifting a little to get a better look at him, Relena tried to not wake the sleeping man. Looking down on him from her angle on the bed, her breath stopped in her throat. He was so handsome, she would have been attracted to his looks, no question- but it was his soul and his eyes that captured her heart.

Brushing back a strand of his messy hair, Relena sighed.

"Can we ever work this out Heero? After what happened... I should be afraid of you, but I'm not... I don't know why... I want us to have a future... which ever person you want to be Ryo, or Heero, I'll love you both if that means you'll stay." She whispered to him. "I love you... I want to be with you forever if you'll let me..."

"That should be my line." Came his tired voice. His eyes slowly opened to meet her brilliant orbs. "Relena... I... I'm..." He looked away quickly, the bruise on her cheek made him remember hitting her. 'What was I thinking? I shouldn't have stayed... why did Zechs tell me too? I thought he hated me...' His mind made him worry, even after her words of love, he couldn't face her... he needed to leave...

"Don't go." She told him grabbing his arm before he could slip off the bed. "Please. Don't go and leave again."

"But I hurt you." He said looking back at her face. As he did, Heero received a swift punch to the face.

"There, we're even now. Does that make it better?"

Heero looked at her with a confused expression. Had Relena just punched him? Well he deserved more than that, but it was still odd.

"Heero, I love you. You'd hurt me a thousand times more if you left again... it hurts when you leave... if you truly are worried about me, stay. Be a part of my life, and let me be in yours."

Taking his hand and placing it on her face, Relena locked eyes with his.

"I've survived much worse than this. I'm strong and I can handle anything that comes my way... but only if I have you at my side... please consider staying..."

"But my past... it's.."

"What? We all don't have things were regret? I sure have many things I wish would have done differently or not at all- but you don't see me moping about them... Heero, life is a journey. We take wrong paths at times, but there's always a way back..."

"..."

"Live with me..."

"..."

"As Ryo or as Heero, I love you for you... not the soldier, not the memories... You."

"Me?"

"Yes, who ever you are..."

"I am... I am Heero Yuy, not the soldier or the pilot... just Heero Yuy. And I want to be with you always."

* * *

A/N:

Well folks, that's all she wrote. Like I said thanks for sticking with me- and thanks for the reviews! Now if you'll excuse me, it's off to Japan!


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